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Another early playoff exit for Ducks, LI's season ends with two 1-run losses It was a new year with the same results for the Long Island Ducks. A solid regular season ends with disappointment in the playoffs as Long Island fails to get out of the first round for the third straight year. Since winning game one in their series against Nashua in 2005, the Ducks have now lost six straight postseason games, including two at home in Citibank Park. The Ducks and Newark Bears played each other tough for two games, both of which could have gone either way, but in the end the Bears swept the series winning both games by a single run. "It is hard to put into words, we had a really special team and I think most people would say we had a really good year together," said Ducks second baseman Ray Navarrete. "Unfortunately the first round is so short and that first game is so important so walking away without it puts you at a huge disadvantage." The Ducks actually held an early lead in game one, thanks to a solo home run by Edgardo Alfonzo in the second inning. Long Island starting pitcher Ed Yarnall was cruising along until the bottom of the sixth inning, when an error by Ducks third baseman Bryant Nelson, led to three Newark runs giving the Bears a 4-2 lead. The Ducks would fight back to tie the game at four in the top of the eighth inning but Long Island reliever Joe Valentine, who had allowed only two home runs all season over 35 innings, chose the worst time possible to allow his third. Bears third baseman Corey Smith hit a home run for the fourth consecutive game against the Ducks and Newark would hold on for the win by a final score of 5-4. After a competitive game, Long Island was back at home with its fans behind them the very next night. The team needed a win to extend the series to a third game, but the offense came out flat and was virtually invisible for the first six innings. Going into the seventh, Long Island did not have a single run and had managed only three hits off Newark starter Jose Garcia, yet they only trailed by three runs, thanks to solid pitching from Randy Leek. The Ducks bullpen also did its job with two scoreless innings as Joe Valentine had a better outing than the previous night and Danny Graves closed out the ninth without allowing a run. "Randy pitched outstanding and the bullpen did well," said Ducks manager Dave Lapoint. "Considering the amount of hits and runs that Newark was putting up all season, I think we pitched pretty well. Randy, in particular, definitely deserved to win the game." In the seventh inning, the Long Island offense finally came to life. Bryant Nelson hit a solo home run to leadoff the inning, finally getting the Ducks on the scoreboard and giving the home crowd something to cheer about. Long Island would score one more run in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Ray Navarrete to get within one run. Unfortunately, this was as close as they would get. Long Island put the tying run on third base with only one out in both the eight and the ninth inning, but neither time could they get the runner home. "Yeah, it is disappointing. Both nights we had our chances to either put the game away or get back in it," said manager Dave Lapoint. "We did everything right to get the guy in scoring position but we just did not do the fundamentals of baseball tonight and that is why we're not playing anymore." Ray Navarette, one of the Ducks best players all season, made the final out of the game with Norm Hutchins standing on third as the tying run. "I had an opportunity in that last at-bat to at least even the game," Navarrete said. "That is the situation you dream about when you are a little kid, but unfortunately it didn't work out tonight." Once again, the Ducks quick playoff ouster brings up the question of whether a team's season can be judged based on performance in two games. "The first round, being two out of three, is a difficult situation for any team," says Ray Navarrete, "You work so hard as a team to get better and develop over the whole season, then you have to come out and play quality ball right away in game one or you end behind the 8-ball like we did." It has been brought up many times over the last few seasons as to why the league, after playing almost a five-month long regular season, seems determined to rush through the playoffs in less than a week. Ducks' principal owner, Frank Boulton, reportedly said that he was going to propose making the first round a best-of-five series starting next season. For now, the Ducks organization will turn the page and look towards next year. Dave Lapoint said he would like to stay as manager if asked by the team, but as far as the players go, there really is no telling who will or will not be back. Chances are, a small group of this year's roster will return, but most of the 2008 lineup will likely be filled with new faces. "We had a team that could have won this whole thing so I will sit back these next few days and think about what we could have done differently," said Dave Lapoint. "The main thing for me is that last year (with Bridgeport) I had a speed and defense team and this year I had a home run hitting team, so I have to decide which one I like to play with better." As for the players, the frustration was obvious after falling short of their expectations. "I am not gonna lie, it is really disappointing." Ray Navarrete said while standing outside a much quieter-thanusual locker room after the game two loss, "For me, this is the greatest team and group of guys I ever played with, so to be honest I don't think any of us are ready to go home yet." EXTRA INNINGS: •After taking care of the Ducks in the first round, Newark would go on to beat the Somerset Patriots in the championship round three games to one. This is the Bears second Atlantic League title, as the franchise last won the trophy in 2002. •Four Long Island Ducks players were named to the 2007 Atlantic League Postseason All-Star Team. Outfielder Carl Everett, second baseman Ray Navarrete, first baseman Pete Rose, Jr. and closer Danny Graves were all named to the team. "We're very proud of what the Ducks accomplished in 2007, both as a team and individually," says Ducks general manager Michael Pfaff. "These four players had outstanding seasons, and we are happy for them to be recognized in this way at the end of the year." ON A PERSONAL NOTE:
Finally, I would personally like to thank Ducks media relations director Mike Solano, assistant Tim Heaney, manager Dave Lapoint and all of the players for their help and cooperation during the entire 2007 season. I also would like to thank the readers for following the Fowl Ball column for the third straight season.
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